GreenSox

Well the Astros didn't make it in their year 2 of their now 8 year window. Need a deft touch; not this all or nothing stuff. And the Sox have the budget to stay good (if they would stop using significant bucks on utility infielders et al)

I notice no 10K guys in the top 10. The college seniors drafted this year did seem like an upgrade from previous editions.

Paddy. He really wasn't some obscure prospect. I figure Hahn didn't have a lifetime contract then, so he figured "it's now or never." a couple of weeks later he used a first rounder for Burdi. 6 weeks later, rebuild time. Hahn certainly has been more cautious in his trades since then. To some, too cautious. I can see Quintana if they are confident he can innings-eat; not to move Kopech to the bullpen, but to give him (and others) rest.

Quintana was pretty gnarly in 2020-2021; One of the best players in baseball. Hahn was warned not to trade him. Just don't trade good up-the-middle prospects. No one trades good prospects for a pitcher like Quintana anyway. Rule 5 guy or 3rd tier prospect.

That last at bat seemed like it took a month. Thankfully, Liam pushed through it. .500 has been passed, hopefully never to return.

Are they saying we should be worse or better?

He had a great year in 2021. But other than that, there may be 1 season where he had good enough numbers to be a 7th-9th inning guy. He received quite the payday for a great 2021.

Bullpen's been pretty good. I don't see how that's the top need, unless they're playing that "bullpen is moneyball" stuff. Maybe need a lefty, but that can be dangerous with the 3 batter rule.

Kiermaier went down; send Engel to Tampa. He's their kind of outfielder.

Strikes out 35%+ of the time; don't need those vibes around the team. Pollock's picking it up a little anyway (at least for the last few games)

I'm waiting for NotSteveChisek to post so that we can get some real information.

Yea, their FO is probably more screwed up than ours. He's a good pitcher. A really nice pull from the draft.

11-8. But it needs to be 14-5 or so. Need to have a great stretch a time or 2 per season, and if not against these opponents, then when?

That's hard to answer. If there are teams out there that view him as "one of the best players in baseball," then obviously not. But I look at things differently than most on this board do (obviously). I look at our top 5 prospects as as valuable to us as the Dodgers top 5 are to them. I realize that ours aren't as valuable to other teams as the Dodgers' would be, but they are as valuable to us. It's like 1K to someone with a net worth of 10K may be as valuable as 100K to someone with a net worth of 1 Million. Now to an outside party they aren't as valuable. So while to another team 3 of our top 5 may be worthy of Reynolds, whereas 3 of the Dodgers top 5 may be worthy of Soto, from our standpoint, we're paying the same price for Reynolds as the Dodgers are paying for Soto. Thus I prefer free agents and rents (especially if we're willing to honestly extend if we end up liking the player) until we get this farm system all squared away.

It's the price I would be willing to pay. Our top 2 prospects (or any in the top 5) is a heavy price. I realize our top 5 is not like the Dodgers top 5, but they are our top 5. To overcome that, until it is fixed, we have to do a better job in free agency than $38 mill for Garcia, Kelly, Harrison and Pollock. Hahn playing scorched earth again is likely to yield the same results it did the last time he tried it.

I don't think so; thus I'd be satisfied offering the packages I suggested and getting laughed at. We'll just have to disagree on Reynolds.

Certainly hope it's nothing. Good lord. Sign me up for the Reynolds deal if this is the alternative.

?? Those are exactly the guys we should trade (not Eloy, as that's clearly selling low). You want to trade our best prospects. Sheets, Burger, Crochet and a couple of low minors guys for Reynolds? fine. And BTW, we're mired in mediocrity because spent $36 million on Leury, Harrison, Kelly and Pollock, the latter of whom suddenly can neither hit nor defend.

.795 isn't bad, but certainly not "one of the best in the game" unless/until he repeats that 2021 a few times. Sox are 18th in OPS, so, no kidding, he would be one of our best hitters. But not for our top 2 prospects (good orgs don't trade their top 2 prospects and few in the top 5 anyway). The package is Burger, Sheets, maybe Crochet, a low level minor leaguer or 2. That should do it for the Pirates. Re our top 2 prospects, they aren't just out of thin air. They are based on what the Sox do well: Players from Cuba Middle infielders: Escobar, Anderson, Tatis, Semien is top shelf in development. Oh and Hahn castoff Luis Gonzales has a .777 OPS with the Giants. We may not be even having this conversation if the GM was current on analytics and didn't jam the 40-man with high K reliever who can't throw strikes. The Sox farm is better than advertised.

I certainly wouldn't give away good youth for rentals. But this isn't the time of year to trade for long-term guys (price is higher) and if you trade for a long-term guy, you better be sure. The following relievers were each traded (by Rick Hahn) for Rule 5 players: A) 41 games, 48.1 IP, 2.23 ERA, 1 Sv, 1.034 WHIP B) 40 games, 38.2 IP, 2.56 ERA, 16 Sv, 1.164 WHIP

He's a seedling, more than that really. Teams absolutely will want him. High school Pitchers (seeds when drafted) have the lowest success rate; so teams like to trade for, say high A or AA prospects (seedlings). That's what I was trying to say. I see both sides of this; I lean to the reliever side, given the lack of starter depth, the Sox could have stretched him out this season, but didn't.

I don't disagree. But look at this year then .795. Say he's really .820. That's good, not great. And his defensive numbers aren't particular good.

I'd say that if the Sox can't/won't turn Crochet into a starter, then I would be willing to trade him. For someone good - not a middle reliever or that ilk. Everybody wants developed or semi-developed pitching prospects; seedlings have a much better chance at success than seeds.

It shouldn't cost nearly that much to get him. And he has a .795 OPS this year. He had a .632 OPS 2 seasons ago.

There would certainly be a lot of interest in those guys, especially in return for the freak-year rents, middle relievers and utility players Hahn is likely to target. And all because he took a nap in December and wasted $36 million on a group of players who aren't even average. The Sox don't have near enough minor league pitching to fuel the majors over the next few year.